Pet Talk - Polka Dot Loach


Animal-World Information about: Polka Dot Loach

The Burmese Border Loach is a more recent "polka dot" beauty that's curious and friendly with its aquarium keeper!
Latest Comments
dennis donato - 2009-07-22
Hi, I just bought my first 10 gallon aquarium tank and I have 1 kissing gourami, 1 blue gourami (who by the way is very terratorial), 1 tri-color shark, and 1 algea eater. What other fresh water fish could I get for my tank. P.S. My fishs are about 2 1/2 to 3 inch. long.

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  • Lori Henson - 2012-04-21
    Hi Dennis. I have always heard to stock your aquarium 1 inch of fish to 1 gallon. When counting fish inches you should consider their adult length. You are probably at your max.
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Tasha - 2011-12-12
Hi, I have recently reserved 2 of these to start off, but on discovery that these snack on fish of 3-4 inches I'm wondering about the compatability! Would they be suitable for my 60l tank? I have 2 Odessa Barbs, 2 Rosy Barbs, 2 small Angels, 2 Zebra Danios, 1 Rummy Nose Tetra (will be getting 3more), and 3 Black Neon Tetras-these i fear for. Perhaps I'd be better off with Corys or is there a loach you could recommend that would suit my variety? Cheers

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  • Bryan - 2012-03-06
    Hi
    To answer your question:
    They don't eat fish unless they are under 3/4th of an inch, not 3 to 4 inches!
    Plus, if they are well fed they won't even bother the tiniest of fish.
    They really need a large group of 4 or more, and therefore need a tank of at least 30 gallons.
    I would recommend the dwarf chain loach, kuhli loaches, dojo loaches and perhaps a solitary skunk loach for a tank of your size.
  • Jeremy Roche - 2012-03-06
    Should be fine. If you plan on breeding your fish the loach will eat the fry.
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JT - 2008-04-13
I have 7 of these in a heavily planted 50 breeder with 3 weather loaches, a Nemacheilus masyae, a bristlenosed pleco, and 8 red eye tetras as dithers. I originally has a single one that I purchased with a 20 gallon tank, and gave him 4 companions when I moved him to the 50 with 5 yoyos. This made the BBLs quite shy, and even after removing the yoyos to a 75, I rarely saw the BBLs until I purchased 2 more to add to the shoal. Now, though they are still a bit skittish, they are much more often out and about in the front of the tank.

An interesting behavior I noticed when I was taking the tank down to move it - the BBLs would swim to wherever the pleco was hand hide under his pectoral fins.

Regardless of their year of shyness, these are some of the most beautiful fish I own.

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cara - 2007-06-12
Hi! Beautiful species, i have 3 burmese borders, 2 yo-yo, and 3 dojos all juvies (only about 1 1/2") and they are new to my community tank but to witness their dance is so cute. The biggest one is named peek-a-boo because he loves to play peek-a-boo with me. he comes right up to me in tank and when i move forward he moves back when i move back he comes foreward...very entertaining.
My dojos feed by hand and im trying to introduce this to borders but no success, probably still too young.

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kathy - 2007-01-15
I was amazed when I saw these guys in person! The color was so much brighter than the picture here...I brought two of them home, and added to the tank with 2 clown loaches, 3 koi angels, 2 white tetras and a black ghost fish, and lastly a golden dojo!
They fit in at once, and began playing by nightfall. A joy to watch, they circle each other, and are very active...still am amazed by the beautiful black/brown and bright gold colors they have.

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